Affiliate Partners

Affiliate Partners comprise the backbone of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. These local organizations, including school systems and school boards, nonprofit organizations, museums, government agencies, foundations, arts agencies, businesses, libraries, teacher councils, and institutions of higher education, administer the Awards at the local level. The Alliance and its Affiliates share a common commitment to the core mission of the program: to identify and encourage the next generation of artists and writers.

Enter your school’s zip code on our Guidelines & Deadlines page to find the Affiliate for your region. Your Affiliate will have important information about the Awards in your area, including submission deadlines, contact information, and other details.

Regional Awards

Art and writing submissions are processed and judged first at the regional level by Affiliate Partner organizations. Students who receive Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention Awards are celebrated in local exhibitions and ceremonies across the country.

Gold Key works are then automatically advanced to the national level where work is considered by some of the foremost leaders in the visual and literary arts.

Students who live in areas that do not have an Affiliate Partner can participate in the Awards at the regional level through Region-at-Large. They have the same opportunity to earn Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention Awards, as well as have their works advance to the national level; however, there are no local ceremonies or exhibitions. If your region doesn’t have an Affiliate, please encourage art and writing programs in your area to consider becoming an Affiliate Partner!

How to Become an Affiliate Partner

The Alliance seeks to forge partnerships with local organizations to expand student and educator access to the Awards. If you are interested in learning more about becoming an Affiliate Partner in your region, please contact info@artandwriting.org for more information.